Propelling mechanism for boats.



J. H. MOON.

PROPELLING MECHANISM .FOR BOATS. APPLICATION FILED JAN 28 1915 Patented Mar. 28, 1916.

3 SHEETSSHEET I. vw/ w By W.

A TTOHWEYS WITNESSES;

J. H. MOON.

PROPELLING MECHANISM FOR BOATS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 28. 1915- A TTOR/VEYS m h P w w 4 w MM 7 m 7 M 1 .l. H. MOON.

PROPELLING MECHANISM FOR BOATS. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 28. 1915.

1,177,433. Patented Mar. 28, 1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

.W/T/VE88E8: v {AH/ENTOR .757222% J/aazz ATTORNEYS THE COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH Cm, WASHINGTON, .n. C.

- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

' JoHnHoLLnY MOON, or PORTLAND, OREGON.' I

PROPELLING MECHANISM BOATS;

To all whom it may concern: 7

Be it known that I, JOHN.H. MooN, acitrzen of the United States, residing at Portland, in the county of Multnomah and State of Oregon, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Propelling Mechani'sms for Boats, of which the following is a specification. V

This invention relates to an improvement in boats, and more particularly to an improvement in the propelling mechanism of a vessel. 7 Oneof the principal objects of themvention is to provide an improved endless propellerv in the form generally of a chain having blades movable into different positions for acquiring the most advantageous results when moving through .the water, said blades being adapted to automatically assume the proper positions whether the chain be driven inforward or in reverse direction. i r A further object of the invention is to provide a propelling mechanism including an endless propeller chain and including novel and improved means for manually transmitting power to the chain. .Stillanother object of the invention is to provide an improved apparatus of the class described which will be extremely simple, durable, efficient in operation and inexpensive to manufacture. 1

\Vith these and other objects in view which will become apparent as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts, hereinafter more fully described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying darwing, in which like characters of reference indicate like parts throughout the sev-' eral figures, ofwhichg V I Figure 1 represents a top plan view of a. boat constructed according to my invention. Fig. 2 represents a vertical longitudinal sectional view taken onthe plane indicated'by the line 22 of Fig. llooking in the direction indicated by the arrows. Fig. 3 represents a vertical central longitudinal sectional view taken on the plane indicated by the line 33 of Fig. 1 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows. Fig. 4 represents a vertical sectional view taken through a sec tionpf the upper flight of the chain 5 pro:

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented B131, 28, Application filed January 28,:1915. Serial 1T0. 4,860. v i

peller on'the planes indicatedby the' line 4 4 of Fig. 5 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows. Fig. 5 represents a top 7 plan View of a section of the upper flight of the propeller chain. fragmentary perspective'view of a portion of the upper flight'ofthe chain. Fig. 7 repre sents a fragmentary transverse sectional Fig. 6 represents a...

view taken on the planeiindicated by] the line 77 of Fig. 5 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows. Fig. s'represents a fragmentary sectional v1ew taken longitudin'ally through a portion of one of the chain members indicating an enlarged opening i through which one of the pivotal pins of the blades extcndsgand Fig. 9 represents'a fragmentary longitudinalsectionalv view. taken on theplane indicated by the line 9-9 of Fig. 1.v I l j Referring more particularly to the drawing, 5 indicates generally the hull of a vessel having a well 6 disposed amidships and having a second well at 7 provided near the stern. The floor 8 ofwell'7 is inclined as shown, and'extencling transversely through this well is a shaft 9 on which a pair of driving sprocket wheels 10 are keyed. A drum 11 is journaled transversely of the vessel within the well'6, and traveling over i the sprocket wheels 10 and the drum 11 is an endless propeller chain 12. The upper flight of the chain is supported by a trough 13 which connects the two wells. As will'be understood the trough and chain extend lo'ngitudinally of the vessel. The lower flight of the chain moves across that. portion of the bottom of the hull indicated at 14, which lies between the wells; Secured to the bottom on each side of the lower flight of the pro peller chain is a keel 15. .The keels are of a depth slightly greater than the 'thickness of the chain in order that said keels may'extendj below said chain somewhat to prevent dan'iage to the chain aground.

The shaft'9 is supported in a pair of bearings 16 in which are swiveled the rear ends of screw bolts 17. These bolts are threaded throughthe bearings '18 which are carried by floor 8 of the rear well. The outer en'dsof-the bolts are provided with handlesl9 by means of whichlsaid bolts shouldthe vessel run might be turned in order to slliftutl edriv- H p ing sprocket wheels whereby toctighten or loosen the-propellerc'hain'z Journaled transversely of the trough at therear end thereof, is a shaft 20. The latter is carried bybearings 21 carriedrin the Walls of Well 7. On this shaft at eachfend thereof is keyed a larger and a smallersprocket Wheel 21' and 22 respectively. Over thej'larg'er sprockets] 21 run endless drive These cha ns also run a over.

chains 23.

sprockets 24 carried upon shaft 9 outside of and ad acent the driving sprockets 10; i

therein. through bearings carried bybrackets 28 seemed to he opposite sides of troughis. Handles '29 provided on these bolts se'ryeas means whereby. bolts maybe turned through the bracketsjiin order to shift the position of the shaft-25. Near weach vend of the shaft; is carried a pair of sprocket heels 30nd 31 respectively.- Endless chains 32 i run over the sprockets and the sprockets 22 carried by shaft 20.; Att'he forward end of the trough athird shaft :33 is journaled, c

and this shaft carries at each end a sprocket 34.; Endless V chains i, run 7 over the 30 sprockets 34 and the sprockets 31 on shaft 25.; Means whereby shaft 83 may be shifted is" provided, th-is means being similar to the same mechanism bytwhich shafts 2 5 and 9 maybe shifted, and is indicatedgenerally 35 at 36.7. Ateach end of shafts 20, 25 and :33 is proyided'a crank arm 37 by means of which the shafts and sprocket Wheels carried by them may be manually operated;

Through, this transmission mechanism im cluding :the Various shafts, sprocket Wheels.

and driving chains, rotationis imparted to the udr v ng sprocket Wheels, 7 and consemoving-the latte in the des red directi n where y to propel the vessel. Instead bf employing the mechanisms shown for shift ing the variousshafts whereby to varythe tension of the chain's" l[ may use anyfl'other suitable meanswithout departing from the spirit or the invention; 7

At suitable points within the. vessel are secured stools or chairs38 upon Which'per:

transmission; mechanism.- I 55 "The propeller chain which l'i se is of pee culiar construction, and comprises a plurality of links indicated generally-at 39. The links-each comprise a pair of side pieces 40 provided with central longitudinally exso tending' openings 41; The links at their ends are pivoted'upon "the reduced ends of shafts or pin s42. Outside of the links on each end of the shafts are pivoted Wheels or rollers 43 provided prleferablywith rubber sons may sit While operating the ower,

01'. "other 'suit'a leitil 4.4; The are Eachpairoffpieces 40 forming a link,

carries a transversely} disposed propeller:

' bladea. The blades are in the form of flat 3 plates of metal disposedytransversely of the chain and, having their ends reduced iasat 2* 46. The width of the reduced blade ends-is f slightlyless than the Width of the openings; ll inthe links, so'that said blades mayrock 1 upon their lowered"es'iniainannerto be; hereinafter describe a The opposite Imern; bers 40"of consecutiveflin'ks are provided with pairs of bars orzstnds- 47 ;connected:jt the opposite edges of the .ope'ningAIL; The! members of'each :pair, of bars or studsj'ar 2 set at an angleto each 0ther7andare spa -ed l apart as indicated, and betweenfthem thefre duped ends of the propeller blades extend. The link sections opposite the sections car rying thebars or studs-areprovidedfintheir, 7 lower portions (with regard to the upperflight, of the chain) 'Withopenings at 48'; dis-V posed" midway the length l of the, links,-,. through Which pins 49" loosely extend; These pins also extend through the adjacent 1'. reduced ends I of the propeller blades, andri at their upper .ends project through slots ,50 proyid'e'dfin theupper portions of those links. The lower ends of pins 49 are prim vide'd With knobs 51', of'a'diameter greater than-the diameter of openings 48 Whild the i opposite ends of the pinsmaylbe provided i ith cotter pins or -.otherosuitable retainingai elements. The knobs 51; coiiperate VWithIthe' enlarged openings through which theipi n's]! extend in substantially"providing; anniver sal or ball and socket; joint, 'so that thepins are free to swing longitudinally of. thegilink's, the length of their swingbeing limited the terminals of slots 50.; I I y M It will be noted that-the {sections 400i the v links are of such curvature as to confirm; with. tlile curvature of "the drum 1 1 and y sprockets 10. The wheelsor rollers ls'ena gage upon the trough and bottrm mespec}. ti iiely of the body iand provide a hearing or carriage, for the chain, so; as to'grender *itjsfl action exceedinglysmooth and frictionless; The sprockets 10 as indicated are provided: with teeth having substantially 'semic'ircu lar recesses in them so as to accommodate and engage with the Wheels 43 -Whereby toi dri ejthe propellerchaim The operation of the prcpeller'chain' be briefly described as follows. Suppcsin'g; the boat to be drivem forwardly "the links! after running ofl of *drum 11 engage, withr za- I the-waterior'forcng the boat along; jIrn mecliately upon their=engagement with "the Water the propeller blades willi be meme-n5 tarilystoppedas it were or rather will be hifted as "far t ward thert rwarrl" ienrls of 5.130

the links, or those ends leavingthe-drum 11 last, as possible. This operation -disposes the blades so that they rest at an angle or inclination with the vertical and against the bars i? at the ends of the links toward the front of the boat. By having the pins 49 disposed centrally of the links, andby providing the slot and enlarged opening,'the blades will rock intoposition to engage against the bar 47 as set forth.- However, the ends of the blades opposite the ends through which the pins 49 extend will not be in transverse alinement with their last said ends but they will be inclined slightly or more properly disposed at an angle to the transverse central line of the links. This construction provides for a most advantageous position of the blades during their course through the water by allowing the water to slide off of the blades in the proper manner without becoming backed up upon them as would be the case were the blades fixed in a vertical and transverse plane.

The pivot points of the consecutive blades are as noted d'sposed alternately on opposite sides of the chain throughout its length, so that the action of srme of the blades in shifting the water laterally and downwardly with respect to the chain will be counteracted and equalized by the remaining blades. Upon reversing the direction of rotation or travel of the chain, the blades will 'immediately be shifted to a position directly opposite that described, the same result being obtained namely, proper engagement with the water for shifting the same somewhat laterally and downwardly so as to prevent backing up against the blades.

Suitable means is provided whereby the boat may be properly steered. This in cludes a rudder 55 pivotally hung at the stern of the boat, and suitable mechanism indicated at 56, mounted in any convenient magner, whereby the rudder may be operate Although I have described the preferred embcd'ment of my invention, I may desire to make such changes in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts thereofas do not depart from the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1; A boat including a propelling mechanism, said mechanism including an endless chain formed of a plurality of hingedly connected links, said links each comprising a pair of members provided with central openings, blades carried by each link and having reduced ends extending through the openings of the opposite link members. said reduced ends being loosely disposed within said openings. studs carried bv one of the members of each link, said studs be ingdispose'd atan angle to and in spaced relationto each otherand adapted to limit the movement of the adjacent reduced end of the blade, a pin carried by the opposite linksection and extending loosely through an opening in one side of the section and into a slot provlded in the opposite side ot the section, said pin adapted to also extend through the opposite reduced blade end,

'means for preventing accidental loss of the longitudinally extending openings, a blade disposed between the sections and having reduced ends loosely extending into said,

openings, said blade being movable upon contact with the water, means for limiting the movement of the blade in either direction, said blade adapted upon contact with the water to be moved into such position as to shift water laterally and downwardly whereby to prevent backing of water against the blade.

3. In a propeller chain, a plurality of hingedly connected links, blades loosely carried by the links transversely thereof and adapted upon engagement with the water to be moved in one direction or another,

means carried by the links for limiting the movement of the blades, said blades adapted upon engagement with the water to be shifted into such position as to provide for the lateral and downward shifting of the water over the blades,the alternate blades being pivotally supported upon opposite sides of the chain, whereby the lateral shifting of the water by certain of the blades will be counteracted by the others. 7

4. A propeller chain including a 'plu ralitv of links, each link comprising opposite sections, a shaft on which theadjacent link sections are pivotally disposed, blades carried by the links, means for mounting the blades whereby they may be shifted upon engagement with the water into such position as to provide for the downward and lateral shifting of the water over the blades. and wheels carried by the shafts on the outside of the links and adapted to form a carriage and bearing for them.

5. An endless propeller chain adapted to be moved through the water for propelling a boat, said chain including a plurality of blades, means for mounting the blades whereby they may be swung bodily in one direction or another upon engagement with the water, and means for limiting the movement of said blades whereby to dispose the blades at such angles as to provide for the lateral and downward shifting of the water over them.

6. An endless propeller chain adapted to a boat, said chain including a :plurality of theibladesv movable :blades .adapted to be: shifted in one direction or another upon engagement .5 with the Water, and means for limiting; the Witnesses:

moi 'ement ofthe blades for retainingthem 7 .JOHN -VANIZANTE, in such positions as to provide forolatenal :FRED. G. KING.

J OHN ZHOLLEY? MOONJ washingtomlkfi.

be moved through the waterfoppropelling; and downward :ShiftiflgmfithGflWELEQI' ioygr Copies of this patcnt. may -heqbtainedvforifive cents each, by addressing ,theffconimi s sioneriot 12min, 

